Oven grate



1929- L. J. CRAVENER 1,725,180

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g- 20, 1929- L. J. CRAVENER 1,725,180

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Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEON J. CRAVENER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OVEN GRATE.

Application filed July 14, 1927.

My invention relates to oven grates, and

more particularly to oven grates of thin construction and having a rotary element thereon, and the object of my invention is to provide such a device consisting of sheet metal parts and being adapted to fit in the usual type of gas ovens or other small ovens without taking up unnecessary space, and -being adapted to replace the ordinary stationary grates, and being of such a construction as to permit substantially unrestricted circulation of air through the same when articles are or are not placed upon the same, and thereby insuring a substantially uniform temperature throughout the oven.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide such a device which is simple of con struotion and very economical to manufacture, and incorporating means for permitting the rotary element thereof to be rotated with little effort, regardless of the position or weight of the articles placed thereon.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of an oven grate incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on substantially the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the usual type of gas oven showing my invention ap plied as in use.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the roller bearing elements on which the main rotary element is supported.

In the drawings and for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention in which represents a gas stove of any usual construction having an oven 11. The oven door 12 is shown in the open position and partly broken away, and inside 13 of the oven is provided with a plurality of oven grate supports 14.

' An oven grate 15 incorporating my invention is shown positioned in the oven 11 and resting on the oven grate supports 14 as shown in Figure 3.

My invention consists of a base plate 16, having openings 17 and 18 therein. The edges of the openings 17 are provided with reinforcing flanges 19 and the extreme outer edge of the sheet metal of which a base plate 16 is composed, is turned over as at 20, shown in Figure 2 for stiffening the same.

Serial No. 205,610.

A rotary element 21 is positioned above and secured to the base plate by means of a bolt 22 having a head 23, a washer 24; and a nut 25 thereon, and passing through concentric openings in the rotary elements and base plate. The base plate and the rotary elements positioned there above, are provided with grooves in which suitable ball bearing elements 26 are adapted to be positioned for supporting the rotary elements above the base plate and will permit a substantially free rotation of said rotary element. A plurality of bearing members 27 are suitably supported above the base plate 16 preferably by means of journals'28 in suit-. able lugs 29 as best shown in Figure 4. The bearing elements 27 are adapted to engage the under surface 30 of the rotary elements 21 for supporting the same edges thereof.

The rotary element 21 is provided with a plurality of relatively large openings 31 and reinforcing and supporting ribs 32 are provided between said openings for the purpose of reinforcing and strengthening the web member 33 and for supporting articles positioned thereon sufliciently above the openings 31, so that a substantially unrestricted circulation of air through said openings is permited at all times, thereby insuring a uniform temperature throughout the oven. Around the perimeter of the element 21 is provided a circular rib of the same height as the ribs 32 and adjacent the circular rib 34 is provided a plurality of relatively small openings 35 and 36 which may be engaged by any suitable instrument for the purpose of rotating said rotary element as may be desired. The outer edge 37 of the rotary element is turned over for reinforcing purposes as shown in Figure 2.

From an inspection of Figure 2, the exceptional utility of this device will be apparent since it is made of sheet metal so formed as to provide sufficient reinforcement for the purpose of rigidly supporting comadjacent theparatively heavy weights thereon, and being extremely light in weight so as to be readily handled and being thin so that it takes up very little space in the oven. It will also be noted, that sufiicient bearing elements have been provided for reducing the rotary friction and at the same time supporting the element 21 clear of the element 16 and in addition thereto, baring means thereon for supporting articles above the openings there through, and permitting substantially unrestrained circulation of air throughout the oven.

Having described my invention in its pre ferred form, it is capable of variations Without departing from the spirit of the inven tion, and I do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction herein illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. An oven grate of thin construction consisting of a base plate of sheet metal having reinforced edges thereon arranged to fit in an oven and to be supported on oven grate brackets; a rotary element of sheet metal secured to the central portion of said base plate; bearing members for supporting said rotary element above said base plate; said base plate and said rotary element having a plurality of relatively large openings therein; reinforcing and supporting radially-extending ribs between said openings of said rotary element for holding articles placed thereon, above said openings for perniitting the free circulation of air through said grate; relatively small openings arranged around the circumference of said r0- tary element and an annular reinforcing and supporting rib adjacent said small openings.

2. An oven grate of thin construction consisting of a base plate of sheet metal having reinforced edges thereon arranged to fit in an oven and to be supported on oven grate brackets; a rotary element of sheet metal secured to the central portion of said base plate; bearing members for supporting said rotary element above said base plate; said base plate and said rotary element hav ing a plurality of relatively large openings therein; reinforcing and supporting ribs between said openings of said rotary element for holding articles placed thereon, above said openings for permitting the free circulation of air through said grate; reinforcing flanges extending downwardly from the edges of said openings in said base plate; relatively small openings arranged around the circumference of said rotary element and adapted to be engaged for rotating the same, and an annular reinforcing and supporting rib adjacent said small openings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LEON J. CRAVENER. 

